In order to control whooping cough in Santa Cruz, the Ministry of Health and Sports of Bolivia, through the National Expanded Program on Immunization (PAI) and in coordination with the health authorities and municipalities, will mobilize medical teams starting on December 13 with the aim of ensuring that the Department of Santa Cruz 5 Children under 10 years of age have completed the five doses of vaccine required to protect against the disease.
“Through joint efforts with the municipal health administration and the health department, we are intensifying immunization efforts in Santa Cruz to complete the five-dose pentavalent vaccine for boys and girls under five years of age. In about three intense weeks this month ,” reports Claudia Carrizales, Head of the Expanded Program on Immunization (PAI).
To date, the cumulative number of pertussis cases in Santa Cruz Province has reached 846, of which 435 are from the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra (51% of the total).
Carrizales explained that from September 13 to 30, the health network of the metropolitan area will deploy 300 vaccination teams, composed of a doctor and a nurse, who will be in the corresponding communities of the north and south health departments Vaccinations are being carried out door to door. Network. Capital Center. Eastern Network has carried out full coverage combining vaccination and epidemiological surveillance in August.
“Coordination between health authorities at the municipal and departmental levels, through the health administration and sectoral health services, is crucial for the formation of these brigades, with the aim of achieving a complete vaccination program and applying a shortened vaccination programme. From six to six months of vaccination Vaccinations should begin in weeks. The age of newborns who are more susceptible to the disease is protected,” the ministry official said.
He said the action also includes immediate vaccination at fixed vaccination sites set up in health centers, weekend vaccination, extended vaccination time, and in some communities, vaccination sites will be set up in cooperation with private clinics with flexible schedules to ensure accessibility.
He added that the work will receive financial support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF Bolivia) and the World Health Organization’s Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), which will contribute resources to different activities.
“The success of this vaccination program depends heavily on families. We urge all parents and carers to vaccinate their children under five with five doses of the pentavalent vaccine and support health teams who will carry out door-to-door visits,” Carrizales recommended.
Of note, the pentavalent vaccine has a shortened schedule that allows for the first dose at 6 weeks of age, the second dose at 10 weeks, the third dose at 14 weeks, the fourth dose at 18 months, and The fifth dose is given at age four. This vaccine protects against diphtheria, tetanus, cockroaches, hepatitis B, pneumonia and Hib meningitis and is given by intramuscular injection.
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